Just A Girl
by untouchablerave
Summary: Rose-Anna Smith is a typical 16 year old girl, well, don't all stories start off like that. Rose is in her 6th year at Hogwarts, she is in Ravenclaw house and if it's one thing she doesn't understand its life.
1. Chapter 1

Just A Girl.

Rose-Anna Smith is a typical 16 year old girl, well, don't all stories start off like that. Rose is in her 6th year at Hogwarts, she is in Ravenclaw house and if it's one thing she doesn't understand its life. Trouble follows Rose around like a puppy, she's a bright girl, but has no friends. All she wants is someone to talk to, but when her charms book goes missing in the Library it gets returned to her from a mystery person, can she find out who it is? Can she finally overcome everything that happened last year?

Chapter One:

Hogwarts Dorm.

Sunlight shone through the heavy blue curtains of the girls Ravenclaw dorm as the birds sat upon the windowsill of the Ravenclaw tower on the west side of the school. This setting may seem like a complete fairy tale, in fact, it is completely real! Rose turned over in her huge four-poster bed. Her smooth crisp sheets with her itchy woven blanket on top made Rose toss and turn uncomfortably.

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, where those of wit and learning will always find their kind." Were the words of Regina Goldspink's alarm clock, Rose had never known so much of a nerd in her life. Rose's chocolate brown wavy hair fell over her face as she turned over once again trying to get comfy. Her strappy blue tank top and her light green pajama bottoms could only just be seen amongst the tangled bedding.

"Oh my god Suli those pants are so totally hot!" Padma cried

"Thanks babe I got them from France when I went over in the summer! Louis Vutton HQ is totally hot right now!"

"Oh my god Marietta can I borrow your staighteners? Daddy promised he's get them fixed before I came back but the company said they were like so totally broken so Daddy has to go back to America to get some more for me!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Mandy!"

"Totally! That's hot!"

"Yu-huh!"

"OH MY GOD! I broke a nail!"

"Lisa!!!"

"EMERGANCY NAIL GLUE!"

Rose tossed over again and pulled her pillow over her head to try and block out the shrieks of laughter coming from the girls in the bathroom. How they ever got into Ravenclaw she'll never know. Finally at 7:30 Rose decided to get up, by this time the girls were worrying about clothes, she needed to get out of here. She had not liked girls ever since she came to Hogwarts, what with two sisters back at home just as ditzy and blonde as the rest of them, she felt like an outcast. She did not spend hours on make up or hair or clothes like the rest of them did, she wasn't out to attract boys, she just wanted to get school out of the way and carry on her studies as an Auror, just like her cousin Adelé. She had one friend at Hogwarts and that was a Hufflepuff girl called Jane who had left in her third year due to an unknown illness, but Rose knew it was because her father was a Death Eater and couldn't bare to have his child in any other house but Slytherin. Rose, being a tough cookie, always told Jane to fight back and give her father a good talking to. But Jane being a small, timid and quiet girl never had the courage to ever stand up to her father. This landed Rose back into isolation.

Rose pushed past the pack of screaming girls that she was forced to share a dorm with. She would rather have shared with boys really, she preferred their company a lot more than she did with girls. She found girls so… irritating!

After a mix of clothes and make up being tossed over her head she finally found her way to the bathroom. She closed her dark brown wooden eyes as she splashed luke-warm water over her face and neck. She stepped into the shower room which was finally empty; she hated having to shower with other girls.

30 minutes later Rose was finishing doing up her tie as the bell rang for Breakfast at 8am. Moving slowly as possible to avoid the rush of shrieking girls to the door to get out. She closed the jointed picture frame on her bedside table, in one a picture of her family, her mum Clare, her dad Oliver, her sisters Madeleine and Amelia and her brothers Jack, Callum, William. In the other, her dog Emily who was just a puppy when she left to go to Hogwarts. She closed it and put it in her side draw, it was one of her most prized possessions as she didn't go home that much. She wrote to her oldest sister Madeleine most because she was closer to her. Madeleine was the only one in the family who really understood Rose for who she really was, for her being a witch and her being an outcast in this place and for her unhappiness. All Rose really wanted was a friend.

Rose slung her bag over her shoulder and ran out after the girls to breakfast. Every morning she would walk out of the portrait hole and along the corridor where the portraits would whisper about the presentation of the girls and boys on their way to breakfast.

"Oh don't they look lovely today?"

"No, if I was headmaster here I would make them all wear trousers and shirts!"

"Even the girls?"

"Even the girls!"

This was the usual banter that Rose heard on the way to Breakfast.

"Well I think this particular young lady looks rather stunning!" said an old man, pointing a slender finger at Rose

"Me?" Rose looked astonished

"Yes, I think your hair colour is one of a kind, where do you originate from?" Rose thought for a moment

"My grandmother was Polish"

"You have Polish eyes"

"I do?" Rose had never given it a thought

"Yes, very big, distinguished, icy," the portrait went on. Rose looked a little confused, "don't worry!" he reassured her "It's a good thing!"

"Thanks!" Rose smiled before she carried onto breakfast she turned back to the painting, "Excuse me, what's your name?"

"I am Professor Swainham" the portrait smiled, "I was once a professor here at Hogwarts, I used to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts,"

"DADA Teacher?" Rose recited, "That must've been great!"

"Sadly, I thought the same…"

"Sadly?" Rose looked confused, "If you don't mind me asking Professor," Rose had realized she had made him uncomfortable

"I was killed … by a student" Professor Swainham looked sorrowful, "I did not know his name, weather he was found out, expelled, killed or not,"

"That's horrible!" Rose was mortified

"Blonde hair, almost white, almost icy, piercing blue eyes, pointed nose, defined features," the Professor seemed to have lost his train of thought because he had a glazed look in his eyes. Rose knew it was time to go

"Well, thanks!" She said and hurried on with a pack of Gryffindors to breakfast, "Goodbye!" She called over her shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

In Trouble Again.

Rose sat at the table alone as she had done for the past few years and ate her breakfast quickly. It seemed everyone else was slow but that was because they had people to talk to. Rose even finished off her final draft of her Charms Essay for 6th Period! Professor McGonagall started to come around with this weeks timetable

"Here you are Miss Smith," she said handing the 6th years timetable to her

"Thanks Professor," She took it from her only to realize she had double Defense Against The Dark Arts first thing with Snape, "Oh damnit!"

"What's wrong Miss Smith?" McGonagall asked

"Oh, It's nothing Professor, I just have double Defense with Snape," McGonagall gave her a little giggle and smiled

"Just make sure you don't get into any trouble with Professor Snape this year please Miss Smith, rest assured I will not have you expelled, I'm still working on Mr Nott's case from last year,"

"Thanks Professor" Rose gave a cheery smile. McGonagall was the only teacher she really got along with. McGonagall had said to her many times that Rose reminded her of herself when she was younger. Headstrong, Talented and Independent! Rose had asked on many occasions why she had not been put into Gryffindor. McGonagall always said, "Although you may have qualities of a Gryffindor, other things may have ruled that out," Rose instantly knew that McGonagall knew something she didn't, but asked no further questions.

* * *

"I am certain that you all have your essays with you today, am I correct?"

"Yes Professor Snape,"

"And you have all completed it to the "Exceeded Expectations" standard, am I correct?"

"Yes Professor Snape,"

"And I will have 32 essays on my desk by the end of this present lessons, am I correct?"

"Yes Professor Snape," the class chorused together again. This is what Rose loathed! Having Professor Snape, the most horrible and boring teacher in the school with the Slytherins.

Rose could feel her eyelids going heavy and she slid down so her head was resting on her arms. Her breathing became deeper as she fell into a dreamless sleep. She shouldn't have stayed up so late last night doing her Transfiguration homework.

"Miss Smith!" a loud sharp voice make Rose's head jerk forward and hitter her head on the desk infront. Clutching her throbbing head she sat up.

"Yes, sir"

"Do you know the answer to my question?"

"No, sir"

"Why not?"

"I was asleep"

"Sir"

There was a silence as the tension grew between them

"If you hadn't noticed, I am of the female anatomy therefore 'sir' would not be appropriate name to call me, however I could deal with 'comrade' if you wish" she sniggered. She hadn't meant to be rude, it had just come out.

"Get out!"

"Of where?"

"My class!"

"Gladly!" Rose gathered up her books, her anger was something she couldn't control, "and go where?" she slug her bag over her shoulder as she always did, almost knocking Seamus Finnegan out

"To Professor McGonagall's office! I'll deal with you later!" Rose's stomach lurched, how will Professor McGonagall react when she finds out that Rose has been sent to her office on the first day back?

Sighing she walked out of the classroom closing the big door of the dungeon behind her.

Walking through the deserted corridors her footsteps made strange sound on the stone floor. It was rare that you got to see Hogwarts so desolate but Rose got to see this a lot as she was often sent out of class. Rose was a bright kid, but somehow she always got into trouble, she felt like the world just didn't understand her.

She approached the fat lady's portrait in which Professor McGonagall's office was closely situated. Peeves was causing havoc outside her classroom.

"Oooooohhh!!!" Peeves shrieked loudly, "Is Smithy 6th year in trouble again? Gasp! Naughty naughty!"

"Piss off Peeves!" Rose cried, she wasn't in the mood to be jeered at right now.

She approached the big wooden door with:

'_Professor M McGonagall'_

'_Transfiguration Teacher'_

'_Head of Gryffindor House'_

'_Deputy Headmaster'_

Rose took a deep breath and knocked on the wooden door three times sharply.

There she waited.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three.

The Other Side Of The Door.

It must've been only 30 seconds that Rose had waited but it seemed like a good 5 minutes. Wondering why there was no answer she knocked 3 times sharply on the door again. There was no answer, deciding that she couldn't get into anymore trouble than she already was, she slowly creaked open the door. The chair was turned to face the wall behind.

"Professor?" Rose decided to move fully into the room

"We meet again!" a dark hollow voice filled the room, nothing like McGonagall's.

"Er… Professor?"

"You could call me that if you wanted" the chair spun round to reveal a small weedy boy

"Theodore Nott" Rose scowled

"Indeed I am" His elbows on the arms of the chair and his fingers pressed to make a triangle shape, Rose blocked out the sense of power that he had over her, "We meet again, Rosie!"

"I HATE YOU!" she went to run at him but there was someone holding her back. Struggling she tossed about but the strong arms around her body were too tight for her to wriggle free. The Caucasian arms flung her backwards onto the wall behind her, pinning her down; his free arm drew his wand and pointed it at her chin. Scared, Rose opened her eyes to see silvery blonde hair and a pointed chin, Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy!"

"Yes, Mudblood!" she spat in his face.

"You're sick!" She spat in his face

"Don't talk to me like that you filthy rat!"

"How dare you!?"

"I am very daring, Rose" He traced his wand down her jaw line, she shivered at his touch, yet she hated him. She loved him yet she loathed him, "Now, Miss Rose, I would appreciate it if you didn't try and beat the living shit out of Mr Nott or I will have you put in detention,"

"As if anyone is going to believe you, Malfoy!" She was still wriggling but he was too strong for her, "anyway what were you doing outside of class?"

"Curiosity killed the cat…"

"Actually it was honesty"

"Don't get smart with me!" He tightened his grip around her arm, "Prefect duties, Smith, something you won't ever have to do,"

"As long as it means I'm as far away from you as possible then that's fine with me!"

"Now, now" his voice had become lower than a whisper, "we don't want anyone letting you in on our little secret now do we?"

"That was last year Malfoy that's behind us now!" she let her arm free and slapped him. Releasing her to clutch his cheek she pushed him and went to run; only Theodore got there first. Malfoy grabbed hold of her throat and pinned her against McGonagall's trophy cabinet

"Both McGonagall and Dumbledore think I am a changed man! And as far as they're concerned I am! I got made prefect because I dropped you in it, I got services to the school because I caught you out! I will get made Head Boy and I will stop at nothing to make sure that this school is under my command! I will kill Dumbledore and I will take over this school and I will help the Dark Lord to come to power! The rules of Salazar Slytherin will be maintained in this school and all Mudbloods will be murdered under my command!" Malfoy realized he had said too much and released her, "you didn't hear that!"

Panicking he rushed around and closed the door. After getting to her feet, Rose raised her wand as did Malfoy

"Expelliramus!" and Rose's wand flew out of her hand

"If you DARE repeat anything of what I said to you, believe me I will make sure your life is a living hell!"

"YOU'VE ALREADY MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL MALFOY!" She screamed. Malfoy backed her up against the wall again.

"Well, don't make it any worse for yourself sweetheart, keep your mouth shut, or I will keep it shut for you!"

Rose didn't know what to say

"I know too much about your little games Malfoy! I could blackmail you into doing anything I want!" Rose tried to overpower him but he could sense her fear. Rose was too weak now.

"McGonagall will be back any second and if you dare spill to her what I have said I will make sure that you never see the light of day again and what happened last year will be all over the school! I have no need to tell the truth, I could say things so bad you won't want to leave the dorm in the morning for fear of humiliation!" Draco's usual pale face was red with a mixture of anger and panic.

"Er, Malfoy" They had both forgotten about Theodore

"What?"

"What happened last year?"

"Don't tell him!" Rose cried, "You promised that what happened would be between us!"

"Tell me Malfoy! Who cares about her?" There was a long moment of silence. Malfoy looked from her to Theodore.

"I used her Nott," Malfoy grabbed Rose by the hair and forced her to his feet, "I made her do things that no witch should be put through. Practiced experiments on her, the Cruciatus curse, the Imperious curse; I had to practice on someone before going to the Dark Lord! I could not disappoint him! He chose me to do something this year and my father let slip to me what it was so I could get some practice in. It's not easy!"

"Oh woe is me!" Rose tittered bitterly from below his thighs

"Shut up you! You haven't got a clue!"

"Oh go on Malfoy tell him the rest! He knows enough already now, he may aswell know the whole story!"

"So you didn't just use a few unforgivable curses on her, Malfoy?"

"No, it's much more than that Theodore. I mixed Polyjuice Potions of people around school and made her take it; she did my bidding for a whole year! I wanted to find out what people were saying about me, I wanted to find out the easiest way to take over the school, I wanted to know the flaws of Hogwarts. I also… I … I abused her too… sexually. But I'm not proud of that! Theodore you are my most loyal friend, I do not need this filthy Mudblood anymore!" and with that he threw Rose and her hair to the floor beside him.

Rose felt repulsed and dirty that Malfoy could have told anyone this; He promised it would just be between them. She just wanted to forget about everything that had happened last year; she just wanted to erase it from her memory altogether. It had completely killed her as a person to "assist" Malfoy in his sick stunts but she was lonely and sad and just looked for a friend. She oozed isolation and that was her flaw that Draco saw in her. She was the perfect target. She looked from Draco to Theodore; she hated him just as much. He had bullied her in third year for her name. "Rosie-Posie" he used to call her. He used to intimidate her; he used to patronize her until one day she couldn't take him anymore.

One summers day just before third year had finished Nott was calling Rose names, one after the other after the other, like punches the just kept rolling off her. Until that one name which she could not stand, Mudblood. She turned around and with all her might punched him straight into the nose; Nott fell backwards and landed in the lake. They were both suspended from classes for a week and Hogsmade trips for a month. However Dumbledore seemed to believe her side more than Theodore's. She remembered it so vividly, like it was yesterday. McGonagall knew of everything that had happened to Rose, she couldn't tell anyone else. Who else was there to tell? Suddenly, talk of the devil, the office door burst open and there stood Professor McGonagall.

"Good Morning" She stammered. McGonagall knew this had been a recipe for disaster.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

Just A Girl

"Mr Malfoy?"

"I was doing Prefect Duty Professor"

"My office does not need monitoring, get out!"

"But –!"

"OUT!" She pointed to the door; Malfoy gave Rose one of his signature icy stares before he left, "Mr Nott, I told you to leave! Miss Smith, up off the floor if you please!"

Rose got up, picked up her wand and sat in the chair opposite. Theodore had already left. Rose went to speak.

"Professor I –!" but McGonagall held up a hand to silence her, much like Dumbledore.

"Please, Rose" this was the rare occasion that McGonagall ever called a student by their first name, "I know why you are here, Professor Snape sent me and owl just after you left, however I was dealing with Mr Creevy, he has fallen for Mr & Mr Weasley's tricks again, bad case of dribbling droobles, he filled up buckets full!" McGonagall laughed a little, "I shouldn't laugh, but I do have a soft spot for those twins, Frederick's witty humor and George is simply charming! They do come back to the castle ever so often from their shop in Hogsmade; they just love helping out here"

"I've not had the pleasure of meeting them," Rose liked the sound of these twins, they sounded much like herself, always in mischief

"You will, they'll proberly try and sell you something that might put you in hospital wing for a few hours, harmless fun I promise!" McGonagall sighed, "Rose, what's the matter? It's nearly second period on the first day and already you're in my office!"

"I don't know Professor, it's like it always is! I try to keep calm I promise but sometimes I blurt things out without thinking. I try and work and I try and get all my work in on time –!"

"Is that how you fell asleep in class this morning?" McGonagall raised her eyebrows knowingly

"Yes, I was actually up till the early hours of the morning finishing your Transfiguration essay,"

"I'm sorry Rose, if I had known you'd had so much work I would have extended your deadline,"

"That's ok, Professor, it's done now,"

"And what happened while I was away from my office Rose? With Draco and Theodore?"

"Oh nothing, Professor," Rose lied, "He just… We were… we were just talking"

"About?"

"Last year, and what happened"

"He told Theodore?"

Rose paused, "Yes, he did, but I'm sure Theodore won't tell!"

"I'm sure of that too, Rose,"

"But he can't tell anyone else"

"No of course he can't! He'll be isolated from the whole of his peers if he tells. No one should be this interested at the Dark Arts at his age!" Rose was itching to tell McGonagall what Malfoy had told her, but she also remembered what he said, "Rose, I know that Draco framed you last year, but we have no proof! Dumbledore hated giving him his prefect and services to the school and believe me if we had the evidence that you were innocent Draco would have been kicked out of this school long ago. Please, Rose, we are collecting the evidence as we speak, Theodore and Draco will be punished. This isn't your fault," This made Rose feel a bit better, "Rose you're just a girl! Don't go biting off more than you can chew"

"Thanks, Professor" Rose smiled

"Now, about your homework," Professor took off her glasses and let them hang from a chain around her neck

"I still have Charms and Potions to do"

"Well go along to the Library and get it done!"

"I can't, I have Muggle Studies next!" Rose sighed

"Well here! Take this" McGonagall ripped off a piece of parchment and wrote down a permission slip for Rose. She handed it to her, it read:

'_Rose Smith has permission to use the Library Period Two (Break and Period Three If Needed) Permission for Restricted Section Aswell._

_M. McGonagall _

_Deputy Head'_

"Thanks Professor," Rose smiled, tucking the slip of paper into her shoulder bag. And with that she left to head for the Library. Letting everything mole over in her head as she walked Rose had a sudden urge to cry. Not wanting anyone to see her she took a detour to the girl's bathroom. She flung herself through the door and into the nearest cubicle, she broke down in tears and blew her nose till it was red raw. Sniffling she opened up the cubicle and left to her desired destination which was the Library. She gave the letter the Madam Pince and settled down in a quite corner to finish her essays. She didn't know why she didn't come to the Library more often. It was quiet, reserved and she could find all the information she wanted. The silence, however, she was used to.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Letters.

An hour or two later Rose set down her quill. She had worked so hard and nearly all her essays were finished. Her fingers ached and her head hurt, the bell was soon to go to lunch. She desperately needed someone to talk to. Then suddenly a light bulb appeared above her head, she pulled out a piece of parchment:

_Dear Maddy,_

Well that was a step in the right direction. There was so much she wanted to spill to her sister but she'd stored it up for so long she didn't know how to let it out.

_Hope you're ok and everything and hope everyone else is well. Let me know how Emily is, I miss her so much. Mads, I don't know what to do. I hate it here, but I know I can't miss this opportunity, I love magic with all my heart, it's a part of me but I hate being alone! Ever since Jane left you know how hard it's been for me to make friends and you now all this business with Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott. But I just don't know what to do, it seems everything with Malfoy and Nott is re-surfacing and I don't know what I'd do if it got out, It'll be complete humiliation! I won't be able to come here anymore; I get it bad already because I'm a complete LONER! Oh geez Mads what can I do? I'm just a girl! I can't deal with all this shit!_

_Write back, I'm in desperate need of someone to talk to._

_Love,_

_Rose-Anna._

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

She laid down her quill once again and read her parchment over to make sure she had said all she wanted to say. She didn't want to put anything in the letter about Malfoy or Nott just incase it got into the wrong hands. Rose was very paranoid about it as she'd had her brothers read her diary many times before.

Suddenly before she knew it the bell had rung for 3rd period. She gathered up her things and quickly ran out to send her letter before lessons started. Little did she know that she had left behind her 6th year charms book as she ran off to Potions with Professor Slughorn. However there was a dark figure hiding behind the bookshelf that saw her leave her book. The dark figure emerged from their hiding place and picked up the book, they tucked it inside their cloak and carried on out of the Library.

* * *

At the end of the day once Charms had finished, relieved that no one had given her any grief, Rose left Professor Flitwick's classroom in a hurry and decided to retire to the Ravenclaw common room. As soon as she entered through the port hole the common room was empty, deserted, where was everyone? She wandered over to the fireplace and dumped down her bag, she sat on the shag pile rug that was before the blaze of warmth and reclined so her toes were slowly warming from the fire.

Again the portrait door opened again but Rose did not remove her eyes from the fire that was licking the sides of the chimney breast. Suli, Rose's dorm mate walked through with a package.

"Err… you! Hey you!" she didn't even know her name, "Rosa? Rosie?"

"Rose, just… just Rose" she looked up at her

"You missing a book?" Suli tossed the package onto the sofa and walked off without another word

"Er I don't know," she rummaged through her bag and she had indeed misplaced her charms book, "Yeah I have, Thanks," But Suli had gone. Written on top of the brown paper package was

_Missing Book_

_Ravenclaw Common Room_

_West Tower'_

She ripped off the brown paper covering the package and there lay her charms book, a light bulb came above her head, she remembered she had left it in the Library. She clapped her hand to her forehead, she had to find Suli, and she had to find out who had given her Rose's book. She had to thank them. She ran up the big stone steps towards her dorm and flung open the door

"Suli who gave you the package?" Rose cried as the door hit the back of the doorframe and the room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Rose, she had not said a word to them all the years she had attended Hogwarts.

"What?" Suli looked startled

Rose was out of breath

"Who gave you the package?" Rose repeated again

"I don't know! Some boy!" Suli went back to curling Marietta's hair. It was a boy!!!

"Was there not a note or something?" Lisa said from inside the bathroom. Rose looked through the book and sure enough inside the hardback cover there was a small square piece of parchment:

_Rose,_

_You don't know me but your book was given to me to be returned to you. _

_Hope this gets to you ok._

_X_

Rose smiled. Her sister Madeleine was the only person who ever wrote her letters. She could feel her grin stretch from one cheek to the other. What could the X mean? She always put X's as kisses

"What's made you so happy?" Mandy asked as she finished Lisa's nails. Rose looked up; all the girls were looking at her. She wiped the smile off her face, immediately.

"Nothing," and she went to turn away

"What did the note say?" Suli asked, knowingly

Rose could not contain her smile as she repeated what the letter had said.

"Oooooohhh Rose has a secret admirer!" The girls chorused and giggled. Rather than lashing out, Rose giggled, for once she was giggling with one of her own kind, girls. In the mix of shrieks and laughter the girls were creating Suli emerged from the crowd

"I never knew you had any feelings, Rose" she smiled, "You always shy yourself away from us,"

"I'm just a girl," Rose felt some sort of breakthrough with them, some sort of understanding.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

The Boy Underneath

Rose sat at the bureau at the end of the girl's dorm with a quill and parchment. She needed to thank this person for giving her book back. But she didn't know who to write to, what to write. All the girls were tucked up asleep in their beds, she could hear Regina snoring.

"I swear I'm gonna smother her with her own pillow if she doesn't shut up!" Rose whispered to herself

"Aye and me aswell" Rose turned round and Suli was lying in her bed watching her, "are you writing to him?"

"Who?"

"The boy?"

"Which boy?"

"The boy underneath!" Suli smiled, "don't play games honey, and I know you can't stop thinking about him,"

"Wouldn't you be thinking about a boy if you were 16, never had a friend in your life except one and suddenly you were sent a letter by someone who was actually nice to you!" Rose had to lower her voice to prevent waking the others.

"Oh I would too honey," there was silence. Rose thought

"What did he look like?"

There was a pause

"He was tall, freckly, longish nose, big blue eyes"

"What colour was his hair?"

"Ginger"

* * *

Rose spent the next few days thinking about who this ginger boy was. She tried to hide it from Suli that she was thinking about this boy. She looked around for a ginger haired boy but could not find one wherever she looked. She came to the conclusion that he must be in with Hufflepuff or Gryffindor as Ravenclaw only had lessons with Slytherins, this was to prevent the inter-house competition between Gryffindor and Slytherin. She had even taken "evening walks" in downtime just to see if there was any sign of a ginger boy around. Needless to say, she was unsuccessful in her task.

Two weeks after her book had been returned Rose could not take anymore guesswork. She needed to write to this guy, she needed to know who he was.

"I'm going to write to him," she told Suli one evening after dinner. She had got along a lot better with Suli after the book incident and was thankful that their beds were situated next to each other.

"What?" Suli looked up from her homework at the bureau

"I wanna write to him! I wanna thank him!"

"But you don't know who he is!"

"No…" she paused, "But I think I know someone who might!"

"Rose!" Suli shouted but she had gone before she could protest to Rose.

Rose was already out the portrait hole

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Lisa asked

"To find the boy underneath it all!" Rose called after her. She scooted around the bents, twists and tight corners of the corridors until she got to the familiar painting she passed everyday on the way to breakfast, "Professor Swainham! Professor Swainham!"

"Hello? What? What is it?"

"Professor Swainham, I need to talk to you!"

"Oh it's only you Rose-Anna," he was the only person who called her by her real name, "I thought I was snoring again!"

"You were Professor, but that's not the point! Professor, can you tell me the name of a ginger haired boy in Hogwarts," There was a pause as Professor Swainham was thinking, "Only, it's just that you always get to see the school from a different angle, I was wondering if you'd see a red-haired boy at all,"

"I do recall seeing a red-haired boy, well, actually, I've seen a few, have you heard of the Weasley family?" Rose had to think

"Yes, McGonagall mentioned the twins when I was in her office a fortnight ago,"

"That's them! Those are the Weasley's! Those are the only red-haired boys in Hogwarts, which I know of,"

"What house are then in?"

"Gryffindor of course! Bold as their hair and brave as their uncles those Weasley boys! All of them!" Professor Swainham smiled

"Thanks Professor!"

"Rose-Anna, why may I ask, are you after such information?"

"A boy with red-hair returned my book to me; I want to thank him,"

"Naturally,"

"Thank you Professor," she beamed, "you've helped a lot,"

"Anytime Rose-Anna,"

And with that Rose ran back to the west tower, she had to tell Suli that she had found has name, so it must've been one of the twins!

Wait!

'_Bold as their hair and brave as their uncles those Weasley boys! All of them!"_

There were more than twins! There were brothers. Rose's heart sank.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Please Write Back:

When Rose arrived at the dorm all the girls were crowded around the door, waiting eagerly for the verdict.

"So, who is he?" Marietta asked. Rose said nothing

"Rose?" Suli cried from the bathroom, "Rose, come on honey, who is he?"

"He's a Weasley," Her voice came from the depths of her bag where she tried to find a spare bit of parchment and a quill

"I knew it!!!" Padma cried, "Is it Ron? I went to the Yule Ball with Ron,"

"And?" Mandy wanted to know the details

"He's shit with women,"

"He and Hermione Granger from Gryffindor have got a bit of a thing going on! Haven't you heard?"

"No," Rose didn't go for gossip

"They say he's got his eyes on Lavender but only to spite Hermione,"

"Oh don't tell my sister!" Padma shrieked, "She's best friends with Lavender, it'll break her heart!"

"Lavender's obviously in too deep,"

"Get in there Rose," Lisa smiled cunningly

"Oh, oh no I couldn't," Rose looked up at them all

"Believe me Rose, -!"

"No! All I want to do is thank him!" She was realizing again why she didn't talk to her dorm mates, they were so bitchy

"Rose! Honey, just don't hurt yourself, ok," Suli said

"Yeah, don't break anything, especially the sisterhood rule," Mandy added

"What's that?" Rose asked confused, not looking up from her bag. The girls looked to each other and held up a palm, with the other hand to their chest

"My pledge to sisterhood is that I promise that thou shall not get with another sisters man unless she has provided a blessing," they all chorused together. Rose laughed

"You've got to me kidding me right?" there was silence, "Oh right, you guys were being serious…" her face reddened

"Basically, if you want to get with Ron, well, after he's finished with Lavender, you'll have to ask her permission," Marietta explained

"Why should I? I don't know her, she doesn't know shit about me, and I don't have to ask her permission to date!" Rose couldn't believe their naivety, "If she has a problem with weather I like Ron or not she can come and say it to my face!"

"So, you do like Ron?" Lisa asked knowingly. Rose paused and realized what she had said

"I… I don't like Ron! I haven't even met him! I don't know who he is! I only wanted to thank him for returning my book that's all!" she sighed, "and plus, what about the other two? The Twins?!"

"Oh the twins?" they all exchanged whispers, "the twins don't come to Hogwarts that often, once or twice a month, they weren't here when your book went missing,"

"It was most proberly, most definitely Ron!" Padma confirmed

"Well, thanks for the help!" She flustered through odd bits of parchment. The girls had got her so worked up that they knew it was time that they left her alone. Finally she found a quill and a half decent bit of parchment and began to write:

"_Dear Mr. X,_

_As that is what you addressed yourself as in your last letter, I do not know you, I only know your description, and therefore I hope this letter gets into the right hands. Just a note to say thank you for returning my book to me. _

_Please write back._

How could she end the letter, she couldn't put 'love from' that was way too personal.

_Yours,_

_RAS._

'Ha! If he want's to not sign his name, I won't sign mine!' Thought Rose, 'two could play at this game' running into the bathroom she looked for Suli

"Hey Suli!"

"Yeah!"

"Can I borrow your owl?"

"Sure she should be on the windowsill," and sure enough Suli's barn owl called Cobford was perched on the side of the west tower. On the envelope she wrote

'_Ron Weasley_

_Gryffindor Common Room_

_Gryffindor Tower'_

She hoped this was the right person. She got up and laid down on her bed, she was exhausted, studying for her N.E.W.T's in 7th year. She had been visiting the Library in her free periods and in downtime in the evening to make sure she was up to date with all her work. Professor McGonagall had given her special permission to use the Restricted Section at all times, which was a very good thing because Rose loved books.

Before she knew it Cobford came through the windows again with a new piece of parchment, she hadn't expected him to reply so quickly. She jumped off her bed and released Cobford of his telegram.

She sat back on her bed and read:

_Miss RAS,_

_It was my duty as a Gryffindor to return the package to you, no thanks needed._

'He's so modest, and as Professor Swainham said, bold' she thought

_But it was nice to hear from you, and good to know that your package was received in good condition. I'm sure I'll get points for that :P_

'The girls are right, he is charming'

_So, RAS, what does this stand for?_

_Please Write Back X_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

Letters Filled With Love:

"_Dear Ron, _

_You dropped yourself in it when you replied to my letter, which was confirmation in itself that you were who I thought you were, otherwise you would have written back something like_

'_Who the bloody hell are you?'_

_As for RAS, well, you'll have to guess, guaranteed you don't know me._

_PS: what was the X standing for?"_

_Dear RAS,_

_Ok, ok, so maybe I did drop myself in it, I couldn't go on playing the unknown letter boy card for too long, I'm too noticeable! Going with the hair colour thing if you think I'm arrogant haha!_

_Let's see, RAS? I think they're you name initials, because that would be the most obvious thing I could come up with, Haha!_

_Well ciao for now RAS._

_Give me some more clues so I can find out who you are._

_Love,_

_Ron x_

'He put love?' Rose was startled, "did he mean friend love? Actual love?" she didn't like to ask. Immediately she picked up some parchment she had put aside especially for letters, especially for Ron.

_Dear Ron,_

_I will give you a clue, my first initial is a flower_

_My second initial is rhymes with Spanner, that's an easy one, I expect you to get that._

_And my last initial in old-fashioned times was given to blacksmiths, which is also easy._

_Happy guessing,_

_Love,_

_RAS x_

'I think I'll add love in too, make the feeling mutual, whatever love he may be talking about' Rose thought. Again, sooner than she thought Cobford sailed through the open window, she really needed to get an owl of her own if she was to be sending letters back and forth to the Gryffindor tower; she usually used to school owls to send her letters to Madeleine.

'_Dear Unknown Ravenclaw, RAS,_

_Is your name Rhododendron? Haha! Witty enough?_

_No, the obvious answer would be Rose, but I'm trying not to go for obvious anymore :P_

_Your second initial would be Anna_

_And third, Smith? _

_Rose-Anna Smith?_

_You have a beautiful name. But you're right, why don't I know you?_

_You're in my year, correct? I suppose it is because you are a Ravenclaw._

_Shame,_

_Love,_

_Ron x_

He had guessed correctly. She wished she knew him; there was something about him, his charm? His wit? Sense of humor?

'_Dear Ron,_

_Correct you are, I am the infamous Rose-Anna Smith, Ravenclaw 6__th__ year and yes it is complete bollocks. I'm not surprised you don't know me; I shy myself away from a lot of people, I stay by myself a lot. And why don't I know you Mr Weasley, I should have thought with your flaming red-hair that I would be able to see you a mile off._

_Please Write Back, or is that inevitable after the flaming red-hair remark? :P_

_Love,_

_Rose x'_

"_Dear Rose,_

_Meet With Me, Tonight, Outside Gryffindor Tower, Not For Long, Just To Get Acquainted._

_Love,_

_Ron x"_

'_Ron,_

_You're on._

_Rose x'_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

The Golden Trio.

Rose left the Ravenclaw tower with her cloak around her. She quickly jumped down the stone steps of the tower and out into the corridors, this was the first time she had ever been invited out anywhere. It was 6 o'clock and all students were meant to be in their dorms for "down time" but Rose didn't care, for once she had a friend. She ran along the charms corridor and down the stairs onto the next floor.

She turned the corner and there she saw not one but three people. She hid behind a statue to observe them. One with dark brown messy hair and big black round spectacles, another, a female, a beautiful natural faced girl, no make up, long ringlets reach down her back, and Rose guessed the red headed boy would obviously be Ron, a tall flaming red haired boy, a long and defined nose, he was just as she had imagined.

"Ron, I don't think she's coming," the girl said looking up and down the corridors

"Hermione! She will! She said she would!" So this was Hermione 'she's stunning' Rose thought.

Rose adjusted her cloak, flicked her mid-length chocolate brown hair and cleared her throat. She stepped out from behind the statue and carried on walking towards them.

"Erm… Hi," she said nervously

"Oh, Rose, Hey!" Ron exclaimed turning round from admiring the view

"Hey," she wasn't quite sure weather to hug him or shake his hand, but he went in for a hug, so Rose responded. She could smell his aftershave on him; she closed her eyes and took a whiff. It was lovely

"Rose this is Hermione, and this is Harry," Rose hugged them alternately

"Rose, we know your story, Ron told us some stuff –,"

"If that's ok," Ron smiled. Hermione paused before carrying on

"About how you shut yourself away from people,"

"Oh right," Rose felt a little embarrassed, she hadn't wanted sympathy.

"And I thought maybe you'd like to talk to us,"

"Only if you want to though," Harry added, "we wont force you,"

Rose thought for a moment, they were being so nice to her. Was this a dream?

"Geez, guys, I'm flattered," Rose smiled, "I mean I just wanted to thank Ron for the book and already I get to meet you guys!"

"The Golden Trio, that's us," Ron smiled, "Do you fancy coming inside? We can disguise you as a Gryffindor; you can come in with us,"

"That would be great!" Rose smiled, but she was sure this was breaking the rules somehow. They gave her one of Hermione's spare jumpers and ties and they walked around the corner to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Bobble hats" Ron said casually

"And about time! You should be inside," The Fat Lady said before returning to talk to another portrait. The clambered through the port hole and through into the common room. It was quite different to the Ravenclaw common room; the Gryffindor common room for one was decorated red and gold. It had the same chairs but in red and the drapes were red with golden lace. She was in awe of their common room

"Hey, Rose, in here!" Ron led her into a small cupboard under the stairs, followed by himself, Hermione and Harry.

"Rose, we know about Malfoy," Rose didn't know what they meant.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We know about Malfoy, about him doing stuff to you," Harry repeated. How had they found this out?

"How… How do you know?" Rose asked, she was so confused, "Did he tell you that? Oh shit!"

"No! No Rose! Malfoy didn't tell us. We overheard you,"

"What, when we were in McGonagall's office?"

"Yes, when you were in her office, we were walking past and heard you, we didn't know it was you at first, but McGonagall had let slip to me when I was with Colin in the hospital wing that she had to hurry back to her office as "Miss Smith" had gotten into trouble again. Well, we knew Smith was a common name but when she said you were in Ravenclaw, well, we just put two and two together. I walked back to McGonagall's office to tell her that Colin was fine and I heard you two talking. I'm sorry," Hermione hung her head in shame.

"Oh shit!" Rose got up off her chair, "You have to promise me that you wont tell anyone,"

"Rose we promise, ok, but you have to trust us," Hermione reassured her. Rose had never trusted anyone before, not even Jane, although when she was friends with Jane she had no secrets to tell. Rose was so confused, what would they think of her now? "Rose we know not just about the experiments Draco did on you,"

"No, we know about the other stuff too," Ron added, "I'm sorry, but we want to help you," Rose felt dirty and slightly betrayed. If Draco hadn't blurted it out infront of Theodore then no one would have overheard and none of this would have happened.

"Rose please, you can walk away and nothing will leave this room, we three want to help you," Ron paused

"Why do you wanna help me?" Rose asked, "Who am I to you?"

"Rose, hear me out," Harry began, "You do know about what has happened over the past few years, you know about my battle with Voldemort and you know that I battled him last year with the Death Eaters,"

"Honey I'd be living under a rock if I didn't know," Rose smiled and Harry laughed

"Well, I need to know as much as I can about Voldemort to be able to defeat him, about him, his Death Eaters, and about how his brain works,"

"So, where does that tie me in?" Rose was still confused

"Draco's father is a Death Eater," Ron finished

"He is?" Rose's eyes widened

"Yes, he is one of Voldemort's most faithful followers,"

"And we know Draco is up to something, we've overheard conversations with Snape that he's had and also the way he has acted, we are 100% sure he is planning something," Hermione explained

"You overhear a lot don't you," Rose smiled

"We can't help it," Ron giggled, "Trouble seems to follow us everywhere,"

"Sometimes I feel a bit like that," Rose looked out of the window; she looked back at the 3 of them. They wanted to be her friend and she wanted to help them. She just didn't know if she could dig up the past that easily. She stood up slowly.

"Don't you think if we could stop Draco accomplishing whatever he's planning to do we could cut off Voldemort's main line to the school, apart from Harry of course," Hermione giggled.

"What will happen if we find out what he's up to?" Rose asked

"It doesn't need to take weeks of planning, we just need to drive him out of the school somehow, find out his weaknesses,"

"Confrontation," Rose answered, They all looked at her, "Don't you think, if he doesn't want anyone to know what he's up to, not even Crabbe and Goyle,"

They all turned to each other and smiled from ear to ear.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten:

It Begins.

An hour later all 4 of them scrambled out of the port hole of the Gryffindor tower it was almost 7'o clock. They would definitely be in trouble if they were caught.

"Guys, I really have to go, I need to get back to my common room," Rose said, removing her Gryffindor jumper and tie

"Oh god yeah it's like 7 o'clock, we must've been talking for –,"

"An hour?" Hermione finished looking at Ron with raised eyebrows

"Yeah… an hour,"

"Thanks for the chat," Rose smiled, handing Hermione's items back to her, "When will I see you guys again?"

"Tomorrow at lunch, we'll talk over what we're going to do, and how we're going to do it, we will confront Draco as soon as possible."

"We need to stop him in his tracks before he makes an attack on someone, or something," Ron said eagerly, "And now with your help Rose, you pay a key part in this! You know Draco better than any of us,"

Rose smiled; she hadn't ever been included in anything before. She finally had people who wanted her, who wanted something to do with her. Things were finally looking up.

Rose said goodbye to the three of them and she headed back to her dorm, not being careful to check around corners, skipping along, passing Peeves and a few other ghosts. Suddenly she heard something. She whipped around as quickly as she could, searching with her darting eyes in every inch of the black darkness around her. Not daring to ask for a response she broke into a sprint, she didn't know where she was going or where the corridors were taking her but she knew she needed to get away from whatever was following her. Then she saw her saving grace, Mr Filch's broom cupboard! She slid through the door, the crack was so small she wondered if she would get in but she got through without even making the door creek. Her heart was hammering against her chest as whatever it was continued down the corridor. Rose instantly knew that she should have never have gone to McGonagall's office that morning, seeing Nott and Malfoy had unleashed a beast, a beast that was after her.

Turning around with her back to the door she leant on the wooden doorframe. She was safe, momentarily, until a dark figure emerged from the shadows.

"Hello, my pretty," a familiar voice croaked. Mr Filch's long bony fingers entwined themselves around her mouth; they smelt as though they hadn't been washed in years, Rose gagged at the smell. Filch got her by the scruff of the shirt and launched her out of the cupboard onto the floor.

"Student out of bed!" He began to cry, "Student out of bed! Peeves! Go! Away with you! Get Professor McGonagall! Be gone!"

And with that Peeves darted down the corridor shrieking as he did. Before Rose knew it, McGonagall's long cloak whipped around her as she strode down the long stretch of the corridor as she lay there, helpless on the floor.

"Miss Smith!" McGonagall cried, "with me please," her stern face scared Rose, "Thank you Mr Filch," Rose got up and followed McGonagall down the corridor, adjusting her shirt as she went.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Heirs.

"Rose… Why?" McGonagall asked disappointed

"Professor I need to talk to you urgently!"

"I'm all ears, Rose," McGonagall turned to look at her

"Professor, something is in the castle!" McGonagall stopped dead in her tracks.

"Something?" Her face looked as though she had been stunned, "What do you mean Rose?"

"I was on my way to my common room and I heard something, I don't know what it was but a dark figure started running towards me, so I ran and hid in Mr Filch's office and then he found me," Rose's breathing was so erratic she thought she might pass out. McGonagall opened the door to her office and ushered Rose in, "Please Professor, I would not make this up, I saw something I promise."

"I need to alert the headmaster, stay here! This could be worse than I thought!"

McGonagall rushed out of her office leaving Rose stood there in silence; she took a chair infront of McGonagall's desk and waited. A few moments later McGonagall arrived and sat down opposite her, "The Professor Dumbledore has been warned, Rose there is something I must tell you! Something very important!" This time, Rose was all ears.

"I assume you know of the four founders of Hogwarts, named after the houses of this school etc do you not?"

"Yes I do, Professor,"

"Well, if you remember in your 2nd year, the chamber of secrets had been opened by the heir of Slytherin. We then released a statement that the heir of Slytherin was indeed Tom Riddle Jnr, he still is, however, it is said to be that all four of the heirs will return to Hogwarts at the same time. Weather this is in the same year or year above or below. All heirs will return at the same time. Well this is not true as Tom Riddle left Hogwarts 50 years ago. Back to the Chamber of Secrets, It was not Tom Riddle or Ginny Weasley who opened it, it was Draco Malfoy," Rose let out a gasp, "Malfoy has been You Know Who's spy in this castle, he was assigned to spy on Harry Potter and pass of crucial information onto You Know Who. So, Malfoy opening the Chamber of Secrets and being in the Slytherin Family blood line anyway, Malfoy therefore inherited the "Heir of Slytherin" title. Tom Riddle wanting to carry out the "noble" if you like, deeds of Salazar Slytherin, passing it onto Malfoy to do the same."

"McGonagall I never knew!" Rose was overwhelmed, "Wait, where does this bring me into it?"

"Well, you must know, I cannot keep this a secret any longer," McGonagall hung her head, "Rose, what was your Great Grandmother's name on your fathers side?"

"Rowena, my great grandfather disappeared before my grandfather was born and she died soon after, my grandfather was bought up in care," McGonagall nodded towards the plaque on her wall. There perched highly on her wall was the Hogwarts crest. Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff and… Rowena Ravenclaw! Rose let out a small cry, "Are you saying that…?" Rose was speechless, for once. McGonagall nodded.

'My great grandmother was a co-founder of Hogwarts'

"We managed to get hold of the family trees, we traced it down and it turns out that you, Rose, are the heir of Ravenclaw." Rose didn't know what to say.

"And your grandmother?" McGonagall asked

"Same with her, she died in childbirth having my father. My grandfather bought him up,"

"The heirs can skip up to 3 generations, depending on when births were,"

"And my grandmother? Does she have a part to play in this?" Rose asked, she never knew she had so much family history.

"Your grandmother is the Ravenclaw ghost, the gray lady," McGonagall smiled, "Your father was born a squib, married a Muggle, therefore making you Muggle Born, Your father being a squib giving him the official status as Muggle," Rose had wondered why her father was so overjoyed at her becoming a witch.

"Who are the other heirs professor?" Rose asked

"Cedric Diggory, of Hufflepuff, Sadly deceased, you, of Ravenclaw, Draco Malfoy, of Slytherin and Harry Potter of Gryffindor," McGonagall recited. Rose's stomach lurched, "You Know Who is out to get all of you, he has already killed Cedric Diggory, and He is using Draco Malfoy to do his bidding, being pureblood and then you, a fine young Muggle Born witch. You're going to have to keep your eyes peeled Rose,"

"And Harry?"

"Harry is the one You Know Who is after the most. Salazar and Godric were at loggerheads all the time they were creating Hogwarts. In You Know Who's eyes, Harry needs to go first before he tries you." McGonagall knew Rose needed to know.

"He wants to kill me?"

"Not just you, all the heirs, except Malfoy, he wants to overtake the school and overtake our world,"

"I won't let him!" Rose said standing up, "I wont, I will stop him,"

"Rose calm down!" McGonagall ushered her to sit back down, "Harry doesn't know and he can't know, so you can't tell him. You can't let Draco know that you know about this!" There was a moments pause.

"McGonagall, if you don't mind me asking, how do you know all this,"

"Rose, we have spies, we're not stupid,"

"Who are your spies?" Rose asked eagerly

"Now Rose, that I can't tell you," McGonagall smiled, "Now off to bed with you, it's getting late," And with that McGonagall closed the door behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve.

Realization Part One.

Rose turned on her heels and began her journey back to the common room. So much had happened in so little time; Rose couldn't quite get her head around it. Maybe this was all just a dream and she'd wake up suddenly with things the way they used to be. She'd woken up to be ignored by her roommates, spend breakfast, lunch and dinner alone, spend her evenings curled up in her bed with her drapes shut writing countless letters to Madeleine pleading with her for advice, but not now. No, now she had a purpose, something to live for. She had a duty and that was to stop Draco Malfoy in his tracks, she wanted revenge on all that he did to her last year. She was figures of a broken soul after he had finished with her. He needed to get what he deserved and Rose didn't care if she died in the process.

Returning to reality she turned around the corner of the Ravenclaw tower.

"Honesty" Rose recited

"Indeed," said the portrait, "And speaking of honesty, where have you been?"

"None of your bees wax!" Rose swung the portrait open and clambered in. The warmth of the fire instantly hit her and she soon calmed down. She melted into a nearby chair and put her face into her hands. At least she had her meeting with Hermione, Harry and Ron tomorrow. Oh… Ron. She had been so caught up in everything that had happened that she hadn't even had time to think about her first impression of him.

'Well, he's tall. That's a good thing, boys are always better taller, and they have a sort of power and protection around a girl. He's ginger, not a problem, it suits him! He's slim and slender and has a cute nose. He has freckles on his face and does that funny thing where he flicks his hair out of his eyes. He has a nice deep voice, at least he doesn't sound like a girl. He has big hands, yes; we all know what big hands mean! Big gloves.'

Rose giggled to herself but stopped abruptly. She suddenly had the vision of her shrieking and giggling like the girls in her dorm, asking for nail glue and staighteners. This made Rose even more depressed. Sighing she picked herself up she trundled upstairs to bed.

As she got up there all the girls were in their pajamas laughing and talking on each of their beds.

She slowly creaked open the big wooden door, trying not to made an entrance but it was too late. Suli had already seen her face, jumped off her bed and flung herself into Rose's arms.

"Rose where the hell have you been?"

"Err… I've been out!"

"Out where?"

"Just for a walk," Rose replied, "what are you? My Mother?" she laughed

"Sorry for caring," Suli walked away hurt

"No Sul, I didn't mean it like that," Rose walked after her, "I was just kidding, I went out for a walk, I needed to clear my head that's all,"

"Hmm…" Suli got back into bed, "And you were gone an hour and a half?"

"I was walking around the school grounds for an hour, I went down to the lake and did some homework, and I completely underestimated how much time I'd been down there,"

"I see," Suli said, "Well jump in," she pulled back her covers

"Uhr let me get changed first, Sul,"

Rose clambered over her bed, picked up her wash back and pajamas and ran to the bathroom. Rose had forgotten that all of this had happened in one day. Her being kicked out of Snape's lesson, her loosing her book, her letters to Ron, her meeting up with the trio, her finding out that she, Rose-Anna Smith, was the heir of Ravenclaw. This was too much to take in. She stepped into the showers, thinking all this over, so much had happened.

After she had finished she clambered out of the shower and into her pajamas. She walked back into the girls dorms wearing a huge hoodie of her brothers.

"Erm guys, I'm gonna hit the sheets, I'm pretty tired,"

"Fair enough Rose," Suli said, "see you in the morning,"

"Night!" all the girls chorused

And with that Rose retired to her bed, she pulled the curtains around her as small tears leaked out of her puppy eyes. She collapsed into her bed. Her thoughts were running through her day over and over again. Ron, oh Ron. Her stomach evolved into butterflies! She couldn't like him. He couldn't like her, or could he? She reached out her hand to her bedside table where she kept his letters. Unrolling the parchment, tied up in a red ribbon, marked 'letters from Ron' she read them over and over again. He was noble, brave and honest. He always put love at the end of his letters. Modest and charming and always nice. Rose sighed, she hadn't meant for this to happen. He was just a boy…

And she was just a girl.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen.

Realization Part Two.

The next morning Rose awoke before any of the other girls. She quickly jumped out of bed and showered before the others. Rose packed her stuff and walked downstairs, she didn't want to talk to anyone, and she just wanted to be alone. She didn't want to meet Ron, Harry or Hermione because she knew that all she would do would be make a fool out of herself. She so desperately wanted to tell the trio about what McGonagall had said but she knew she must not let Harry know his future. She knew this would be a key aspect of eliminating Draco's plan, but she didn't want to mess up things for Harry. Oh Draco! Oh why are you doing this? She stormed out of the dorm and down into the common room. She passed a sleepy Ravenclaw boy on her way down but took no notice. She decided to go out for a walk. She stepped outside the huge doors into the courtyard of Hogwarts.

"Rose" a voice came from behind her. Rose jumped and turned around to see Malfoy standing behind her. She hadn't even heard his footsteps. Rose said nothing; she had nothing to say to him. "Rose, please hear me out," He just called her by her first name. For once it wasn't Mud blood.

"Go on then, what do you have to say," Rose thought she may aswell

"Don't meet them today!" Malfoy replied immediately. Rose was stunned, "Don't meet them! They're trying to pull you into their evil plans!"

"Evil plans!" Rose exclaimed, "Draco if anyone makes evil plans it's you!"

"Rose I'm a changed man!"

"Bullshit Draco," Rose's heart was hammering through her chest. There was a huge pause as Draco's eyes reeled her in

"Rose I'm only looking out for you," she slapped him.

"Don't you dare try and pull that one on me again you sick bastard," Draco rubbed his cheek where a red mark was forming

"Don't you remember what we had Rose?"

"You even admitted to me that you used me so you can fuck right off with all that shit!"

"Rose don't meet them today, it'll be the death of you, I promise,"

"They're my friends Draco!" and before she knew it Malfoy had planted his lips on hers. Being shocked, Rose didn't know weather to fight him off or respond. Soon she relaxed, she knew she didn't want this but then she remembered all the times that Draco had told her he loved her, had held her close, had kissed her gently. Rose responded to the kiss, she had given in. She knew at the back of her mind she had to stay strong but she couldn't. Her knees buckled but Draco was there holding her. He released her, running his hands down her arms. Suddenly he gripped her hand and pulled her along behind him. Without her being able to say a word she stumbled along behind him. He dragged her around the pillars that surrounded the school courtyard and through the school. No one was up yet which was surprising seeing as breakfast would be being served soon. Malfoy dragged her up a huge flight of stone steps and along various corridors until there a huge wooden door appeared out of nowhere, before Rose could ask questions Draco pushed her through the huge door. Malfoy planted his lips on hers again before she could ask any questions. Draco pushed her back onto the bed… wait… there was a bed? Rose opened her eyes and sure enough there was a bed right in the middle of the room. Draco pushed her flat on her back; his hands roaming her body, Rose remembered what it was like so many times before, how good it felt, what it was like to have someone know how to please you. Suddenly Draco stopped. He looked straight into her eyes,

"Rose, this time is different I promise," and he slammed his lips down on hers, his tongue pleading for entry, his hands fiddled with the waistband of her jeans, grinding his hips against her, Rose could feel his trousers pressing against her and a significant bulge in his crotch. Rose sucked lightly on his bottom lip and ran her fingers through his silky blonde hair. Wrapping her legs around his waist as his fingers traced themselves up her back. Slowly she unraveled his tie and unbuttoned his white school shirt exposing his white scrawny yet angular body. This time pushing him down onto the bed, she straddled him and kissed all the way down his body, opening the button on his school trousers with her teeth.

Undressing each other and scrambling under the bedcovers caressing ever part of each others bodies until both of them were naked. Lying infront of each other, Rose looked down to Draco's crotch _'oh my! He had certainly… ahem… changed in a year'_

Draco slowly slid himself inside her and rocking her back and forth he pleased her, made love to her.

Hours later Draco dressed himself.

"I have to go…" he said and gathered his belongings

"Draco… wait!" but he had already gone.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Realization Part 3.

Throughout the day Rose was neurotic and fragile. This was the last straw; she knew she had to do something about the Ron / Draco situation. Ron, one of three people who genuinely liked her for who she was. She couldn't stop thinking about him, she wanted to help him, Harry and Hermione, she just didn't know how. She thought back to what Ron had said to her in her letters, how Ron had wanted to meet her, how Ron and her had played 'guess my name' throughout their letters. How she felt whenever Cobford came through the window with another letter, how her stomach lurched. How he was the first thing she thought of before she went to bed. How she would wander the corridors in the evenings hoping he might be doing prefect duty.

And then there was Draco. Her first love, the one who always knew how to please her, the one who always knew how to make her weak at the knees. The one who made her feel like she was worth something, the one she COULD have a shot with if he just bucked his ideas up. The one who COULD love her…

Rose had been scatty all day. She had hardly been concentrating on any of her classes and not even said hello to Suli when she walked past. She had been distancing herself from them again; she felt she needed to be alone. She needed to make this decision, not for anyone else but for herself. She needed to end this now. Draco was getting completely out of hand, delving into the dark arts is NOT wise, and Rose kept telling him. They were each other's weaknesses, she needed him, and he needed her.

Rose was walking through the corridor near Charms when she saw a flash of red hair, her heart was beating faster as the trio came towards them.

"Hey guys!" Rose called out

"Rose, hey!" Ron said, hugging her, "Listen I've been looking for you, we need a chat,"

"About what?" Rose asked, Ron spread his arm around her

"About Malfoy, we need to know all the details, we need to know everything about him if we can stop him," Ron told her

"Oh I was wondering if you guys wanted to go down to Hogsmade or something?"

"Er no, we just want to talk about Malfoy, we need all the information we can from you,"

"Why now? Why can't we go out and get something and we can chat along the way?"

"No Rose, we need the information now,"

"But…"

"NOW!" Ron shouted, Rose's heart broke, they were both there standing motionless, but breathing heavily.

"I see what this is about…" Rose's eyes were watery, "You've used me, you've used me these past few days for information. You never wanted to be friends with me at all, when you heard McGonagall talking about what I know and you used me for the information! You're nothing but a bunch of creeps!"

"Rose it's not like that!" Hermione cried

"So what is it like?" Rose chuckled bitterly to herself. All three of them stood in silence, "I should have realized before!" and with that she ran off, leaving them with nothing to say for themselves.

* * *

Rose opened the door to her dorm and rushed in. She threw her bag onto her bed and opened up her side drawer where she kept all of Ron's letters. She looked at the first one he ever sent her.

_Miss RAS,_

_It was my duty as a Gryffindor to return the package to you, no thanks needed._

_But it was nice to hear from you, and good to know that your package was received in good condition. I'm sure I'll get points for that :P_

_So, RAS, what does this stand for?_

_Please Write Back X_

Suddenly everything made sense! Ron was not bold; he returned it to Rose as a prefect duty, not because he was doing a good deed. Earning points? House points! Rose was crying now, she had been blissfully unaware for a good long time and suddenly the realization of the last few chapters of her life had suddenly decided to hit home. Rose had been living a lie, believing Harry, Ron and Hermione had liked her for who she was! All her life Rose had been used, it was about time she did something about it. Suddenly Suli burst in…

"Rose I've been looking all over for you!" Suli cried. Rose said nothing, "Rose, honey, where have you been?" Rose didn't look up; she slid her bag under her bed. "Rose? Talk to me!" Suli was getting frantic; she walked over to Rose and touched her arm, "Rose?"

"Don't touch me…" Rose shrugged her off

"Whoa now! Ok what the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Nothing, nothing I'm just," Rose walked around to the other side of the bed

"Rose! I've been looking for you everywhere, worried sick about you and this is what I get?" Rose was not in the mood to argue, "Rose! ROSE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"SHUT UP SULI, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" the whole room went silent, "I am sick of you, I'm sick of the way you act like you care, you don't have a fucking clue what I am going through!"

"What the hell are you on about Rose?" Suli looked confused, "After everything I thought we were friends I confided in you and then you turn round like some mad woman telling me I know nothing, what is wrong with you?"

"I thought things had changed but it turns out everything is back to the way it was!" Rose didn't know what she was saying; she was on autopilot scrambling round her room.

"What's changed? What's gone back?" This was confusing Suli even more

"Suli, you think you know me but actually you know nothing about me, so back off!" Rose layered herself up with clothing and threw her cloak around her shoulders and began to walk out of the door

"Oh no you don't!" Suli held her back, "You're not leaving without an explanation,"

"YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER SULI!"

"You can't even take care of yourself, look at the state of you, you're a broken person!"

"Exactly…" Rose's eyes filled with tears, "I am a broken person, and it's all to do with friendship and love isn't it. I've taken chances throughout my time here and every single damn time I've been left in the gutter! I've been ditched! I've been walked out on and I've been used and I'm sick of it!"

And with that she left the room.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

And What She Did Next.

Rose knew exactly where she would go first, she ran towards the Transfiguration corridor. That familiar door that Rose always stood outside at least once a week with the familiar writing on the front proberly with a familiar face. Rose knocked rapidly three times on the door.

"Come in," a familiar voice replied

"Professor McGonagall I need to talk to you!" Rose burst in

"Rose what's wrong?" Professor McGonagall looked up from her papers

"Did you give my charms book to Ron Weasley?" Rose asked. McGonagall blushed, "Well did you?"

"Rose, please understand me. I followed you to the Library to check that you were ok and I saw you leave your book accidentally, so I picked it up. I was walking to Ravenclaw tower to return it to you and I saw Ron Weasley, you had been talking about lack of friends and so I put two and two together and thought maybe Ron could fill that gap,"

"Well I'm sorry Professor but you thought wrong!" And with that she stormed out. Tonight was going to be a long night; But Rose had not finished yet. She then stormed off into the direction of the dungeons.

"Draco! DRACO MALFOY!" she called out running down the lengthy corridor, "DRACO!" she banged on the door of the Slytherin port hole. After a few moments Theodore opened the port hole.

"What do you want Mudblood?" He sneered

"Oh fuck off Theodore and get me Draco," Rose was equally as rude

"He's doing prefect duty you little slut now piss off!" and slammed the door in her face.

"Charming!" Rose shouted through, "Fucking charming you ASSHOLE!"

Rose had to find Draco. She ran through the twist and turns of the Hogwarts corridors passing various students doing their duty until she saw a head of silvery blonde hair, drawing her breath, she walked speedily towards him.

"Draco!"

He turned round and saw her walking towards him.

"Draco I want a word with you!" He didn't shout at her, he didn't say a word, he just stood there. Blank. "Draco!"

"Yes," he looked as though he felt no emotion

"Why… why did you leave the other day?" Rose asked

"When?"

"When…" she gulped, "When we were together in the room of requirement,"

"Honestly?" Draco flustered, "Because I didn't want to want to have feelings for you," Rose looked at him blankly

"What?" she asked, "I don't understand…"

"I didn't want to love you Rose,"

"So you used me? Again?"

"Rose, don't be like that?" Draco pleaded

"Be like what Draco? You have used me for the 2nd time! I should have known better you are such a jerk! After all this time I thought that I could trust you, I began to even like you again despite what you did to me! Despite everything! And now you've gone and used me AGAIN! What is it about me that people think they can just use me for what they want? Is it because they know I'll take it? And all of this revolves around the fact that no one ever gave me a chance. My whole live I've been used! And the one person who pulled the wool over my eyes and I thought I could actually trust, turned against me. And that's you Draco," Rose's breath was heavy as she panted from her rant

"Rose, you're putting everything out of proportion," Draco put his hands on her arms to calm her

"Get off me Draco!" Rose threw his arms off her, "After everything…" the tears were welling up in her eyes. She could not take this anymore.

"Rose!" she heard a familiar voice from around the corner and that famous red head came bouncing around the corner, "Rose! We've been looking for you everywhere!" and soon Harry and Hermione followed.

"Oh piss off Ron!" Rose's temper was almost as red hot as Ron's hair, "I've had it with you!"

"Rose, you've gone crazy," Hermione panted

"Crazy?" Rose's eyes widened, "DO YOU NOT HAVE A CLUE WHAT YOU'VE ALL PUT ME THROUGH?"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Truth.

"Expelliramus!" Rose cried and Malfoy's wand flew out of his grasp into Rose's hand, "Expelliramus!" she cried again and Harry, Ron and Hermione's wands all flew out onto the floor. Rose then threatened them with her own wand, "Ok, you wanna know the truth?" she panted

"Yes, that would be nice –,"

"FUCK YOU DRACO!" She shouted, with eyes still on the trio

"Ok, here it is. I've been desperate for a friend, just one, anyone. I have never felt so alone since I met you three. You made me feel like you actually wanted to talk to me. I felt for once in my life since Jane was taken away from Hogwarts I was wanted. And I read over the letters that you sent me Ron, I read over them and now I've been living a lie. I actually thought you started to like me back but all you wanted from me was information. Not friendship, you USED me Ron," Her eyes were streaming with tears, "and I know that you never loved me and that my blissful bubble has popped," Her wand was shaking pointing in the direction of the trio, "And that's the truth,"

"I don't know what to say,"

"Don't justify your actions Ron, you know what I said is right, and I hope you wallow in your own guilt for a good long time," Ron hung his head.

"Rose," Draco put his hand on her shoulder, "get off Draco," she shrugged him off, "You've done enough to me, you've put me through enough,"

"Rose, I … I love –,"

"Don't say it Draco, I don't want to hear your pathetic lies!"

"Rose you don't understand!"

Rose picked up Ron's wand, she turned to the trio.

"Harry, go talk to Professor McGonagall. Ron, I don't care if you're trying to save the world. You'll pay for this," Rose cried

"What?" Ron's eyes widened as Rose pointed Ron's wand at her temple

"NO!" Harry cried

"ROSE!" Draco screamed lunging forward

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Rose bellowed and she collapsed in Draco's open arms. There was a moment of silence as the realization of Rose's actions washed over the four of them. Draco began to shake.

"Rose… Rose… Baby can you hear me? Oh god Rose what have I done?" he cried into her hair and rocked her body back and forth gently.

"Draco," Hermione knelt down

"Piss off Hermione!" His eyes were blood shot, "Just go away," and he sobbed uncontrollably into Rose's chest. Ron stood a few feet away, pale as a ghost, looking as light as a feather, almost like he was dead himself. After this ordeal, he was proberly dead inside.

"Ron, Ron mate," Harry shook his shoulders, "Come on, let's go,"

"Harry what have I done?" Ron cried

"Ron, you can't make yourself love her," Hermione comforted him. Ron covered his face with his shaking hands.

"Ron, I think she was dead long ago. As soon as she got in with Malfoy she was as good as dead," Harry replied honestly.

"Come on," Hermione ushered them; she knew that Draco wanted to be alone. The silence washed over Draco and he looked down at Rose's pale skin.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I do love, I've always loved you. It's just… it's… you're a Ravenclaw and I'm a Slytherin. My master is destined to kill you; I couldn't have someone I loved killed. I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing here anymore. I can't do this without you. I love you so much I wish I'd told you before…" and Draco cried into Rose's hair.

Peeves floated along the corridor, stopped, looked down at Rose and cried out…

"DEATH IN THE DUNGEONS!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Death In The Dungeons.

News spread that day that Rose's death had been suicide and that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were present. They had been questioned throughout the day by fellow students and the teachers were informed of the tragedy. Everyone was in a dull mood as no one really felt like doing work. The girls from the Ravenclaw dorm had been crying all day, but it was really only Suli who was the only one who had ever felt truly close to Rose.

A funeral was held a few days after the terrible ordeal. In the grounds of Hogwarts under the sycamore tree with Rose loved so much there stood a congregation. Under that said sycamore tree, a pale white coffin lay covered in red roses and there stood Albus Dumbledore delivering the speech he never wanted to deliver again. After the death of Cedric Diggory he never wanted to inform the school another student had died. With the rising of Lord Voldemort and the growing fear in the wizarding world, the death of a student, suicide or not.

The sun was setting and the gathering of students and family of Rose sat near the lake. Professor Swainham, with a ghostly charm on his body for a matter of hours, to remove himself from his frame, floated along the congregation. Cobford perched on a tree let leaves go from his claws and flutter down onto the coffin lid as a sign of affection and mourning.

The service had finished and Dumbledore signaled to the 6 boys sitting in the front row. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Fred & George Weasley got up, lifted the coffin onto their shoulders and waded into the water of the Hogwarts lake with the pure white coffin and slowly they laid Rose down to rest in the water and slowly let her drift away into the distance between the valleys. A few rows away, Clare, Oliver and their children, Madeleine, Amelia, Jack, Callum, William, sat with their arms around each other, mourning for their sister and daughter.

Dumbledore cast his eyes over the congregation; he was aware of Rose's problems and through McGonagall tried to resolve them. He thought to himself that if Rose had seen the amount of people here today then he thought she would not have made such a drastic decision, however, if this was her choice then so be it. She was a desperately unhappy girl. Dumbledore looked over to the six boys in the river, watching the coffin float away. Harry and Draco stood close together; Harry slowly put an arm around Draco's shoulders and held it there for a moment before awkwardly removing it. Draco did not shrug him off; he did not say a word, just stood there.

"Bloody shame in my opinion," Fred tried to lighten the mood a little

"Yeah, she was just a girl," George agreed. There was a moment of silence.

"Yeah, she was just a girl," tears streamed down Draco's face, "My girl…" he whispered.


End file.
